Try looking at the websites of Rega, VPI, Music Hall, and others. More expensive would be Thorens, Linn, and the likes. The Stereophile equipment issue (Recommended Components) April and October can help you pick some reviewed brands. See the archives on this website. If you can find a place that demonstrates the equipment, that would be best, so you can get a hands-on feel of how the thing operates.

Don't lock yourself out from more expensive turntables, as these may be available from resellers, e-Bay, Audiogon, or other sites at a lower price than new. I didn't see where you live. But if you're in SoCal, the T.H.E. Show is in June 1-3 in Newport, Ca. You can see some stuff there and ask about the gear in your price range.

I've had a Rega 3 for about a long ass time plus a year.  It probably could use new bearing oil and one of Rega's new belts and the motor upgrade.  But it was about 800 bucks when I bought it with cart and it's still used daily and regularly shows my also pretty good Arcam CD player whos boss.

Good luck.

Sota Moonbeam II with either a Nagaoka MP-150 or an Ortofon 2M Blue.

I use a Sota Comet with a Rega RB301 arm and a Benz Glider Moving Coil low output cartridge. Great for Pink Floyds, Genesis and other progs. However you will need a good phono preamp to extract the best of this capsule, and maybe a VPI machine to clean those old prog records too..

The good side of the low output cartridge is that clicks and pops are highly attenuated if the record is clean even if it is old.

Best Regards,

Pedro

You're equating dollar amount to qaulity.  That is not the correct thing to do.  There is not a lot of technology behind a good turntable.  Beware of somebody selling you a bill-of-goods rather than a turntable that feebacks analog signals that we interpret as music.  Don't get me wrong.  I love vinyl.  But it is what it is and nothing more.  In fact, I'm more interest in the quality of the vinyl than I am about the turntable.  I compared the cheap TEAC turntable with my good turntable and I couldn't tell the difference on good vinyl based on the original master tapes.

between my $700 turntable and the Sota Moonbeam II with a Nagaoka MP-150. I guess I can't trust my ears. I know my hearing is going bad, but I didn't think it was that bad!

Comparing a cheap TEAC to an unnamed unknown cheapo doesn't mean much. The only thing you can be sure of is that they both sound bad.

FWIW I use a VPI HW-19/w upgraded platter and SDS a Rega RB300/w Incognito wiring w/new weight and stub and a Sumiko Blackbird.

Also consider Audio Adviser...they often have demo's or clearancde items a good 20-50% less than the cost of unopened and might let you buy a $1500 item for under a grand.

Maintenance on a properly set up vinyl front end is not hard or expensive or, really, needed all that often. What is a grand pain in the butt is the setup the first time. Look into the tools and gages and have those on hand before the turntable arrives. Do not take any cartridge setup provided with the turntable as done right. Check it all.

Too much spam for dinner!

It's done been killed. - JA

Is it just me, or do the words "my husband gave me a budget for a turntable" sound like music to your ears?

Cynthia,

I would really recommend you look for a nice, clean used Rega P5. I bought one as a demo last year and it is a fantastic turntable for the money and competes quite favorably with my $13K turntable. You can frequently find them for sale used at auction sites like Audiogon, etc. The P5 hands down is the best performance for dollar turntable I've heard. 

Cheers,

Stephen

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